The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-12-06
SECRETARY LAMARm
Reports for the Fiscal Year
Ending June 30tb.
AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT.
To Restrict Immigrs tior-Yictory for
ProhIbitIon-Increa sing the
Duties Etc
Secretary Lamar's Report

The Secretary Of the Interior has sub
mltted his report for the fiscal yea
ending June 30,h. 1t is yoluminous
document and gives lengthy details o!
various branches of the service within
the Interior Department. That portion
of the report referring to the adjust,
ment of railroad land grants, he's al
ready been covered IN these dispatches.
The Secretary says: Under existing
laws it is apparent that the area OF
public land is rapidly diminishing.
This would not De an evil, il the land
was pas!ing into the hands of bona fide
purchasers for actual settlement, but
the facts are known to be otherwise.
1t is q subject to which l have
been forced to give much thought, and
the conclusion to which l have come is
that most of the troubles and abuses
that environ it, can be removed by
legislative action, and that such action
is the sole remedy. a detailed state
ment of the work performed by the
general land office shows commemorate
zeal in the purpose to preserve the
public domain, prevent fraud and il
legality in the requirement OF large
areas of public lands and to recover
them from unlawful possession and aD-
preparation. Investigation shows that
from March 5, 1885, to October l, 1887,
the number OF entries cancelled for
fraud, illegsiity, abandonment and
other causes amounted to VI US, en-
brscing an area of IA 238 OH "a acres,
making an aggregate OF lands restored
to the public domain OF 40 663 ,39f acres.
The total number of entries and filings
made during the year was 2iS, l1S, an in
crease OF LILO over the previous year,
whilst the number OF original home
stead entries was 50 ops, q decrease OF
96I0 entries; and f2al proof was made
on 1885 homestead entries, an increase
of $40 entries. The presumption entries
were q, 403. an increase OF SOL entries
Under the desert land act 2 2i2 entries
were made, a decrease of 276 entries.
Under the timber and stone act, of June
3, 1878, 655 entries were made, being an
increase of 226 entries.
| respectfully, but earnestly recon-
mend the immediate and total repeal of
the redemption laws, timber culture
acts, and the REIMBURSEMENT acts. and
add thereto the cash entry laws and the
desert land laws. The injurious effects
of their remaining on the statute books
in their Sresent form has convinced me
that all except the homestead law should
be swept ffC III the statute books. More
than quarter or century has elapsed
since the passage of the homestead law.
Its operations during the last decade
haze shown it to be the wisest and most
honest method of dispOsing OF agricul-
tural public lands, embracing all the adj
vantageS OF the presumption system,
without its acknowledged faculties for
fraud and abuse"
On the subject of the unlawful in
closure of public land, the Secretary
saws: "The work of returning to the
people large areas of public land hitherto
illegally appropriated by corporations
and individuals engaged in the
cattle business on the plains, has
progressed most successfully during the
past year. Special agents report the
removal, complete or in progress, OF
Illegal fences, throwing open to tie
public use and occupancy nearly $780,
900 acres OF public land.
Special attention is called to the
several reports of the Governors OF
Territories, all of which are burdened
with complaints of the want Of public
surveys within their respective juris
dictions. I have endorsed the recon-
mendation of the Commissioner for
$500 600, but | beg to urge an appro-
priatioh of $500, 700 not asked for by
him, to be specially devoted to the |
survey of lands within the granted and |
indemnity limits of different land grant |
railroads.
Another subject which 1 would re-
spectfully suggest, demands immediate |
is the matter OF private |
grants claimed to be derived from the |
spanish or Mexican governments. |
This legislation, in my opinion, should |
be directed to two points; first, to pre- |
vide for the trial and final determine |
ton of such claims, subject only to ap- |
peal to the Supreme Court. Second, an |
act of limitations barring the presenra-
lion of new claims OF this character |
within a stated reriod. The Surveyor |
General of New Nj xic0 states that dur |
ing the past year examination has been |
made of number of new claims, and |
old claims heretofore favorably re- |
ported, yet pending before Congress, |
the unconfinned area of which aggre- |
gates BY estimation 100000 acres, |
whilst he thinks 200 600 acres will cover
all the legal and equitable rights there
under.
The vital necessity for legislation
looking to the preservation Of the tim
Der resources of the country becomes
more urgent every year. Settlers in
many localities feel themselves COM
PEELED to violate the law to obtain tim
Der from public lands to supply their
absolute necessary wants. Legislation
is needed which would look to the
of natural forest lands at
the headwaters of navigable rivers and
also the method of putting within reach
of settlers OF legal means of providing
them with timber for building homes,
fuel and other domestic purposes.
The Secretary asks that 8 special APP
be made to complete the
survey of the public land strip and that
Congress authorize the establishment
Of land office within this strip, aud
the lands therein, at some central and
accessible point subject to settlement
under the homestead laws with the
communication features eliminated. The
peculiar form and situation of the strip
makes the question of its proper dis